US 5,074,708 A · Underground water control system for tennis courts and the like

Abstract

The tennis court has water impervious bays which contain water distribution piping and particulate material that conducts water from the bottom of the bays upwardly by capillary action to the playing surface of the court. The water distribution piping includes a substantially rigid outer pipe having relatively large openings extending through its lower portion, and at least one inner pipe that is located within the outer pipe and that has a plurality of water discharge orifices at spaced locations along its length. Water from a supply source is introduced into the inner pipe, at a desired low pressure and flow rate, at those times when a moisture sensor determines that the sensed moisture content within the particulate material adjacent the playing surface of the court is less than a preselected desired magnitude. Valving associated with the water distribution piping permits purging and/or draining of the piping. A technique for constructing the court includes the use of vertical pin members that temporarily support upstanding walls of the bays and an elongate leveling member which in a first rotative position establishes the elevation of the upper surface of a first particulate material layer, and which in a second position establishes the elevation of a second particulate material layer of the court.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An underground water control system for a tennis court having a playing surface requiring watering, comprising:

water impervious bay means underlying substantially all of said playing surface for receiving and storing water, including rainwater deposited upon said court, passing thereto;
a water supply source;
water piping means connected to said water supply source and located within said bay means for at desired times receiving water delivered thereto from said supply source and for introducing said water into said bay means substantially simultaneously at a plurality of spaced different locations, said piping means including a plurality of outer pipes, and first and second laterally interconnected inner pipes disposed within and extending longitudinally of each of said outer pipes;
particulate material disposed within and extending upwardly from said bay means for conducting water upwardly therefrom by capillary action to said playing surface of said court;
and
control means for controlling the delivery of water from said supply source to said piping means water delivered from said supply means to said piping means passing sequentially to said first ones of said inner pipes, to said second ones of said inner pipes, and to said outer pipes, to enhance uniformity of distribution of the water throughout said court.

3 more elements

An underground water control system for a tennis court having a playing surface requiring watering, comprising:

water impervious bay means underlying said playing surface;
a water supply source;
water distribution piping means for at first desired times introducing water form said supply source into said bay means, and for at other desired times draining water from said bay means, said piping means including a plurality of substantially rigid outer pipes having at spaced intervals along their length a plurality of openings from which water freely passes into said bay means during introduction of water from said supply source, and into which water from said bay means freely passes during drainage thereof from said bay means, said piping means further including inner pipes disposed within and extending longitudinally of respective ones of said outer pipes, said inner pipes including first and second laterally interconnected inner pipes disposed within and extending longitudinally of each of said outer pipes;
particulate material disposed within said bay means and extending upwardly therefrom to said playing surface, said particulate material conducting water upwardly from said bay means by capillary action to said playing surface, the depth of said particulate material being substantially the same throughout said court;
and
control means for controlling passage of water from said supply source to said water distribution piping means, water delivered from said supply means to said piping means passing sequentially to said first ones of said inner pipes, to said second ones of said inner pipes, and to said outer pipes, to enhance distribution of the water throughout said court.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Underground water control system for tennis courts and the like

Life of this patent

Underground water control system for tennis courts and the like

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19